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How to use a watering can

Updated: 22 October 2026

You already have a 10 litre watering can, and a brimful can is about 10 kg before you start walking. How to use a watering can at this size is a sequence: fill only what you can hold, keep the load close, point the rose the right way, and stop before you wash the compost out. The [10 litre watering can comparison](/hub/garden-watering/10-litre-watering-can) lists the eight plastic cans. Peter F. used RHS guidance on 20 October 2026. If a hosepipe ban is in force, filling is also a legal question, on the [hosepipe ban](/hub/garden-watering/10-litre-watering-can/sub/10-litre-watering-can-hosepipe-ban) page. A purchase from the main comparison can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already have a 10 litre watering can, and a brimful can is about 10 kg before you start walking.

Our top picks

B2C B2C (Wc-10l-red)

Best overall

B2C B2C (Wc-10l-red)
6.1/10about £10.99
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Geli Geli (5010G)

Rank 2

Geli Geli (5010G)
7.9/10about £10.36
View offer
B2C B2C (WTRCNS_14-2)

Best value

B2C B2C (WTRCNS_14-2)
7.1/10about £10.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fill only to a weight you can hold
  2. 2.Carry, then aim at the soil
  3. 3.Turn the rose upwards while plants are small
  4. 4.How much, and when to stop

Fill only to a weight you can hold

One litre of water weighs one kilogram. A full 10 litre can is about 10 kg of water plus the empty shell, 380 g to 600 g where a weight is printed. RHS advice on containers is to fill only to a manageable weight and make more trips. Reviewers half-fill the Geli. Fill at the tap or the butt to a level you can still hold close and level. Do not fill the can with a hosepipe if a temporary use ban applies to your company. If the handle crosses the hole, that is a buying problem. Forcing the can onto a low butt tap does not make the carry safer.

Carry, then aim at the soil

Keep the can close to your body and walk with it level. The Health and Safety Executive’s handling page is written for workplaces: keep the load close, and do not lift more than you can manage. It is not a household ban at 10 kg. If your back, balance, or a medical restriction stops the lift, ask your water company about the Priority Services Register. RHS says to water in the early morning. Evening is acceptable, but leaves that stay wet overnight can encourage disease. Aim at the soil or the compost at the roots, not at the foliage. On a pot, stop before water runs out of the bottom.
B2C B2C (Wc-10l-red)

Testsieger

B2C B2C (Wc-10l-red)
6.1/10about £10.99
View offer

Turn the rose upwards while plants are small

RHS sowing guidance says to water with the rose turned upwards for a gentle flow after sowing, and while plants are small. The holes then break the stream before it hits the compost. That is a technique, not a promise that every rose in this comparison is fine. Listings that say gentle are still contradicted by reviews: a fast flow, a waterfall, a rose that falls off. If the rose will not stay on, take it off and water the soil with the bare spout. For seedlings in a tray, this 10 litre size is usually the wrong can even with the rose upwards. If you only have the large can, turn the rose up, use a small amount, and stop as soon as the surface is moist.

How much, and when to stop

For a rose in the ground that needs water in a dry spell, RHS guidance is up to once a week and 5 to 10 litres, at the base of that rose. For a newly planted tree in dry weather, RHS suggests around four to six full 10 litre cans a week, 40 to 60 litres at the root zone. That is several trips if you are half-filling. Stop before water runs out of the drainage holes. Empty the can before a freeze. Haws says water expansion can split plastic along a mould line. If you are still choosing a can, the best 10 litre watering can page is the match, not a second set of steps.

Common questions

Should I fill a 10 litre can to the brim?
Only if you can hold that weight close and level. The water is about 10 kg, plus the empty can. RHS container advice is to fill to a manageable weight and make more trips. Reviewers half-fill a Geli rather than carry it full. A brimful can that you then spill is not more thorough watering.
Do I water in the morning or the evening?
Water in the early morning. Evening is acceptable, but leaves that stay wet overnight can encourage disease. Avoid the hottest part of the day. In each case, water the soil or compost at the roots rather than wetting the foliage for its own sake.
Which way should the rose face for seedlings?
Turn the rose upwards so the flow breaks before it hits the compost. RHS sowing guidance says this after sowing and while plants are small. A listing that says gentle does not replace that step. If the plants are in a seed tray, a 10 litre can is still a lot of water, so use only a little.
How much water does a rose bush need in a dry spell?
For a rose in the ground that needs water in a dry spell, RHS guidance is up to once a week and 5 to 10 litres, at the roots. That is not a weekly rule for every shrub. Established plants chosen for the site may not need watering. Containers are a separate case and may need water much more often in summer.
How many full cans does a new tree need?
In dry weather, RHS guidance for a newly planted tree is around four to six full 10 litre cans a week, at the root zone. That is several trips. If you cannot carry a full can, use more journeys at a lower fill. The weekly volume is the guide, not a single lift.
Should I wet the leaves?
Water the soil or the compost at the roots. Wet leaves overnight can encourage disease, which is why evening watering is the weaker option. On pots, stop before water runs out of the bottom. A coarse rose aimed at the crown of a small plant washes compost away rather than watering it.
What if my back or balance will not take the lift?
Stop. Do not treat 10 kg as a target. Ask your water company, and look at the Priority Services Register if a medical or mobility restriction applies. That is the route Water UK points to. A hosepipe ban does not require you to carry a full can if you cannot lift it safely. Half-fill, use a smaller can, or use stored rainwater you can reach without a dangerous lift.

Related pages

10 litre watering can buying guide

10 litre watering can

Best 10 litre watering can for your tap and plants

Watering can hosepipe ban rules in England and Wales

Plastic vs metal 10 litre watering can: which to buy

Sources

Public UK sources for watering method, hosepipe bans and handling. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 20 October 2026. This is not a lab test of roses or carry weight.

  1. RHS — garden watering methods (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  2. RHS — watering plants wisely (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  3. The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  4. Ofwat — hosepipe bans (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  5. Water UK — hosepipe ban FAQs (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  6. Thames Water — temporary hosepipe ban (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  7. HSE — good handling technique (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  8. Which? — best watering cans (retrieved 20.10.2026)